A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
